Psalms 35

1 By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

[A Psalm] of David. Judge thou, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.

3 And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, 'Thy salvation I [am].'

Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

5 They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.

6 Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

7 For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.

For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.

8 Meet him doth desolation — he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.

Let a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.

9 And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.

But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.

10 All my bones say, 'Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'

All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

11 Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.

12 They pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,

They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.

13 And I — in their sickness my clothing [is] sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.

But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.

14 As [if] a friend, as [if] my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.

I behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbour [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

15 And — in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;

Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.

16 With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.

17 Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.

18 I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.

I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise thee.

19 Mine enemies rejoice not over me [with] falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

20 For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.

21 And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, 'Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'

And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].

22 Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord — be not far from me,

Thou hast seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [thyself] from me.

23 Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.

Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.

25 They do not say in their heart, 'Aha, our desire.' They do not say, 'We swallowed him up.'

Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.

26 They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.

Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words against me.

27 They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, 'Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'

Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!

And my tongue shall meditate on thy righteousness, [and] on thy praise all the day.